Optician articles from June 2004

Optician archives from June 2004

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC)Spring catarrh.(Conjunctivitis)(Diagnosis and Treatment)
June 4, 2004... Description Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a potentially severe ocular surface allergic condition seen exclusively in children and young adults and is more common in boys. While most VKC primarily affects the superior tarsal...

Peter Manning.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
June 4, 2004... Dispensing optician Peter Manning, who worked for Melson Wingate for over 50 years, has died. He was 77. Born on June 11 1926, he originally joined Crookes Optical Works, Melson Wingate's prescription house, but after serving in the RAF...

Mucin balls - Part 2.(Diagnosis and treatment)
June 4, 2004... In the final extract from his forthcoming textbook on contact lens complications, Professor Nathan Efron describes the formation, the consequential pathology and the management of mucin balls Using a corneal confocal microscope, Craig et...

Amoebicidal activity of multipurpose CL solutions.(Contact Lens)(Study of Sally Buck, Ruth Rosenthal and Barry Schlech)
June 4, 2004... Sally Buck, Ruth Rosenthal and Barry Schlech compare the amoebicidal activity of two commercially available multipurpose contact lens care systems A STUDY WAS conducted to compare the amoebicidal activity of two commercially available...

A next-generation silicone hydrogel lens for daily wear; Part 1 - Material properties.(Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear)
June 4, 2004... Despite advances in contact lens materials, more than half of all soft lens wearers experience discomfort with their lenses at the end of the day. In Part 1 of this two-part article, Robert Steffen and Christina Schnider describe the material...

Taking the pulse of the UK contact lens market.(Dr Philip Morgan)(Sales information)
June 4, 2004... Dr Philip Morgan looks at recent contact lens sales information and conducts a review of the state of the UK contact lens market A recent analysis of soft lens wearers in Europe suggested that the number of wearers in the UK is towards the...

Dragon aims to fire up the market.(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... u Eyewear specialist Dragon is 'breathing life' into the sunglass market this summer with three new developments. Three new styles have joined the Dragon collection, the 'Grifter', 'Reverb' (pictured) and 'Casino'. The models combine...

All singing, all dancing BCLA.(British Contact Lens Association )
June 4, 2004... The biggest BCLA conference yet took place in Birmingham a fortnight ago. Delegates were treated to events as wide-ranging as a 1920s-themed gala dinner and a refractive surgery symposium. Bill Harvey and Andy Franklin report With 1,000...

Conlons wins European practice award.
June 4, 2004... u Staff at Conlons Opticians in Dumfries are celebrating after being named the national winner of the PureVision European Practice of the Year for 2003. There are 10 employees at the practice which was established in 1978. It has grown the...

Ciba to award prize for best sports display.(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... Ciba Vision is offering two lucky optician readers the opportunity to win a professional match play tennis racquet signed by women's number one tennis player Justine Henin-Hardenne. Henin-Hardenne has just been signed up by Ciba on a...

Dishonest staff must be charged, says OO.(Optometrist)
June 4, 2004... An independent optometrist has called for an end to allowing staff caught with their hands in the till to re-enter the jobs market with just a police caution. Sam Baird, who owns four practices in County Antrim, Northern Ireland,...

Core optics provides 65% boost for Boots.
June 4, 2004... Despite tough market conditions Boots Opticians enjoyed an operating profit in its 'core' business of [pounds sterling]12.8m - up 65 per cent - in the year to March 31 2004. However, like other laser eye surgery providers the company was...

Fraud visits suspended, says FODO.(Federation Of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians)(Counter Fraud and Security Management Service)(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... Practices that have received a letter regarding visits by counter fraud officers are being advised by optical body FODO not to comply. As previously reported (News, April 23) the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS)...

Value of CL market analysed.(Contact Lens )(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... The UK contact lens market was worth [pounds sterling]146.2m in 2003. This is according to newly released Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM) statistics published last week. The ACLM represents 98 per cent of the suppliers...

Monsoon at Specsavers.(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... Monsoon-branded eyewear is the latest exclusive for Specsavers Opticians. The women's fashion group has signed a deal with the Guernsey-based multiple to launch the 16-style range in the opticians' outlets retailing from [pounds...

Prescribing framework in place for profession.
June 4, 2004... The 'bedrock' of prescribing rights changes planned for the profession has been published. The new document sets out the competencies which an optometrist needs in order to prescribe, sell, supply or write orders for medicines. ...

CET manager signs contract with GOC.(General Optical Council)(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... The GOC has signed a contract with Vantage Technologies for the management of its CET scheme. The signing, which took place on May 28, followed consultation with a group of professionals earlier this month on a final draft of the CET...

Beware the venus eye trap.(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... The Government's chief medical officer has warned that people could permanently damage their vision if they look directly at Venus' passing across the face of the Sun on Tuesday (June 8). Professor Sir Liam Donaldson said that unwary people...

GPs criticised in Access for All report.(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... A third of visually impaired people feel their GP is unaware of their needs, according to a new report to be launched at the House of Commons next week. The report, issued by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, claims there are...

Vitamin A deficiency; Hypovitaminosis A, xerophthalmia.(Diagnosis)
June 11, 2004... Description Vitamin A deficiency leads to the ophthalmic condition of xerophthalmia and is responsible for thousands of new cases of blindness worldwide each year. Most cases occur in children in underdeveloped countries as a result of...

Boots offers staff new cash incentive scheme.(Boots Opticians)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Boots Opticians presented its new staff incentive scheme to delegates at the first of its summer conferences yesterday. Its introduction is further evidence that the company hopes to encourage its professional staff to take on more...

The long-distance DO.(Optician)(Tracey Morris)(Biography)
June 11, 2004... Dispensing optician Tracey Morris was the first British woman to cross the line at this year's London Marathon in a time of 2hrs 33mins 52secs, thereby qualifying to run for Britain at the Olympics. Bevis O'Neill caught up with her at her home...

Firm foundations.(City and Islington College's Centre for Applied Optics)
June 11, 2004... The [pounds sterling]3m refurbishment of City and Islington College's Centre for Applied Optics may have been delayed by the completion of a [pounds sterling]12m Sixth Form Centre next door but it is now nearing completion. As Tony Botten,...

Pupils in practice - part 2.(Diagnosis of Pupillary anomalies)
June 11, 2004... In the second half in this two-part series, Dr Huw Pinney examines pupillary anomalies which are seen to accompany neuro-ophthalmological disease Pupillary anomalies may be classified according to the location of the lesion in the neuronal...

Time to takea fresh look.(Lasik Procedure)
June 11, 2004... optician is offering readers the opportunity to view a Lasik procedure via webcast or on a CD-Rom. The refractive eye surgery assessment and operation is performed by Professor Dan Reinstein of the London Vision Clinic using a Carl Zeiss...

Esprit brings new members into its Sports sunglass collection.
June 11, 2004... u Esprit has launched a new range of models into its 'Sports' sunglass line, designed for the active wearer who is serious about sport. There are 12 models in three sub-collections of Outdoor (below), Urban Active (right) and Snow. More...

The Diploma in Orthoptics; Part 5 - Certificate B, Module 1.
June 11, 2004... Having completed his discussion of Certificate A (April 9), Professor Bruce Evans now looks at the first module of Certificate B which covers anatomy, physiology and visual perception This part of the series outlines the content of the...

Sun out, top down.(Interview)
June 11, 2004... The reaction times for photochromics have vastly improved, but nothing is as fast at turning spectacles into sunglasses - or vice versa - as a clip-on. Peter Mehmet of Bickley Eyewear talks to Rob Moss about Convertibles When Peter Mehmet...

American Optical invites you to shop till you drop.
June 11, 2004... u American Optical has launched a new national sales incentive - 'Shop till you drop', to reward independent practitioners for dispensing AO Transitions progressive lenses. The promotion runs for five months with rewards of Capital...

Conference call.(British Contact Lens Association)(Research Presentations)
June 11, 2004... With the major spring/summer conferences coming thick and fast, optician casts a critical eye over some of the research presented at a number of the more significant events Bill Harvey describes some of the 60 poster presentations at this...

Moneowrites.(Eye Care Services Steering Group)
June 11, 2004... Funding failure It is now two weeks since the official launch of the first report of the Eye Care Services Steering Group. My colleague Omen recently (May 28) looked at the possible ramifications of this and thus I do not wish to revisit...

High-tech range from Marchon.
June 11, 2004... u Marchon has released the ck Calvin Klein optical collection, a 'high-voltage' range inspired by the technological gadgets of today. There are 15 models in the collection - three high-quality stainless steel, three plastic styles, three...

Overspend on DDA could cost millions.(Disability Discrimination Act)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Practitioners could overspend by up to 50 per cent in their attempt to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), a retail property consultancy has warned. EC Harris, a London-based business which has worked with Boots and Vision...

OO alleged to have falsified pre-reg salary.(General Optical Council Disciplinary Committee)(Pre-registration Training Salary)(Optometrist)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... A West Country-based optometrist, alleged to have certified a pre-registration training salary which was false, will appear before a GOC disciplinary committee on Monday (June 14). Zahra Asiri, it is claimed, committed the offence twice,...

Cole claws back losses.(Cole National Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Just a week after confirming approval of an increased merger offer from Luxottica, Cole National posted a first quarterly loss of $475,000. The first-quarter results of the Cleveland-based firm, owner of Pearle Vision, gave an improvement...

Dundee at forefront of bid to create cornea from stem cells.(University of Dundee)
June 11, 2004... A team at Dundee University has secured EU-funding to work with European colleagues on the creation of replacement corneas from human stem cells. The e2.4m project is aimed at helping people who suffer from a number of diseases requiring...

Optician is first choice among professionals.(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... A head-to-head analysis of regular readers of optical publications has shown that 70 per cent would choose optician if they could only read one title. optician received resounding support across a range of eight topics by readers who were...

Welsh win AOP award.(Advancement of Optometry)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... The AOP gave its 'Award for the Advancement of Optometry' to the Welsh Assembly Government in a ceremony on June 7. Minister for Health and Social Services Jane Hutt and First Minister Rhodri Morgan accepted the award at the event at the St...

Market growth will be modest, warns Mintel.(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... the market was worth [pounds sterling]2.41bn last year with a rate of growth below that of total retail sales in the UK. With improved levels of profitability harder to come by, optical retailers must identify those patients whose loyalty...

Climb every mountain.(National Eye Research programme)(Fund Raising)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... An OO taking on the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales in less than 24 hours to raise money for optical research continues to look for sponsorship. David Good, who works at Specsavers Opticians in Clifton, aims to raise [pounds...

Metzler and NiGuRa merge German units.(Metzler International)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Moulin International's German division Metzler and NiGuRa, the frame subsidiary sold off by Rodenstock to the Hong Kong-based manufacturer, have announced they are coming together under one management. The two companies, which produce...

Blue light and eye disease.(European Sunglass Association)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Sixty participants attended the European Sunglass Association's 10th Yearly Conference at Lake Chiemsee, Germany on June 3-5. A highlight of the meeting, said the ESA, was a presentation from Professor Charlotte Reme, group leader of the...

Study indicates the benefits of screening kids.(Detecting Vision Problems in Children)(Brief Article)
June 11, 2004... Intensive screening of the vision of the under fives has benefits in detecting visual deficits which may otherwise hinder a child's development. A study published this month (Annals of Family Medicine 2004;2:263-266) has confirmed that...

Vortex keratopathy; Corneal verticillata, amiodarone keratopathy, chloroquine keratopathy, Fabry disease.
June 18, 2004... DESCRIPTION Vortex keratopathy is due to deposition of a substance (usually a drug) from the tear film or limbal vasculature into the corneal epithelium. Reversible binding of the drug appears to occur within the epithelial cells. The...

Keeping it 'real'.(Eyewear industry)
June 18, 2004... Not so long ago, if the fashion fanatic hadn't heard of a brand, they wouldn't dream of being associated with it. But now it seems that many mainstream designer names are being shunned in favour of something a little less well known. Rob Moss...

Collectible Eyeglasses.
June 18, 2004... Lawrence Jenkin finds a wealth of fascinating information for both collectors and opticians alike in the English-language edition of the French classic, La Folie des Lunettes I first became aware of this attractive publication in the French...

Myopia.
June 18, 2004... Part 2 - Environment In the second of two articles on myopia, Rabiyyah Giga discusses the influence of the environment on the development and progression of myopia. This is an edited extract from her optician/City University prize-winning...

Autism and the social brain.
June 18, 2004... Louise Williams discusses facial recognition and explains how people with autism show dysfunctional development in some areas of visual memory, failing to develop the 'language of the eyes' Whether it be the smiling face of an understanding...

External eye disease and the DO.
June 18, 2004... Bill Harvey provides the answers to CET Module A1489 (Dispensing Supplement May 21) which qualifies for one credit in ABDO's CET scheme For questions 1 to 3, please select the option which is most likely to be the lesion described 1...

Pre-registration progress.(Eyewear industry)
June 18, 2004... As details of the new professional qualification process become clear, optician reports on the introduction of the scheme and what it means for optometry undergraduates and potential supervisors A meeting took place recently at the College...

Rollason elected Optometry Scotland chairman.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Hal Rollason has been elected chairman of Optometry Scotland. Charles McKinnon stood down after a year in office at the annual general meeting on May 26. Frank Munro was elected as vice chairman. Rollason said: 'I'm delighted to be...

B&L hopes to drive the CL market.(Bausch & Lomb )
June 18, 2004... u Eyecare company Bausch & Lomb is running a number of promotions to increase brand awareness in its 150th anniversary year. Its 2004 marketing campaign tells the public about the benefits of enjoying the 'freedom of vision at any distance'...

OO admits falsifying pre-reg salary form.
June 18, 2004... An optometrist who falsified information on a pre-reg training grant form for her daughter has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct. At a GOC disciplinary hearing this week Zahra Asili admitted that she falsely certified...

Design.(Kangol sunglasses)
June 18, 2004... In the first of a new series of articles looking at British frame design, Blue Gem's Eleanor Hughes talks Rob Moss through the creative process of a pair of Kangol sunglasses Everybody's come across them. Following their eye test a patient...

Practices must be more open to what the consumer needs.
June 18, 2004... Following last week's exclusive on the market findings of Mintel's Opticians 2004 report, this week we detail its consumer research Although the retail optics market is mature, with some informed forward planning there is still some room...

Fraud body gears up for red tape probe.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... The body tasked with rooting out NHS fraud in optical practices and other areas of the Health Service claims it has saved the country [pounds sterling]478m. The Counter Fraud & Security Management Service, which has investigated several...

Actman aims to bring more vitality and passion to FMO.(Andrew Actman)(Federation of Manufacturing Opticians)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Fashion frame supplier Andrew Actman has been appointed the new vice-chairman of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians. The announcement, made at the body's board meeting this month, means a new role for the high-profile figure who has...

Souten takes up presidency in Yorkshire.(Yorkshire Optical Society)(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Optometrist Rena Souten has taken over the presidency of the Yorkshire Optical Society. She is pictured receiving the badge of office from outgoing president John Robinson at the Society's annual general meeting held at Brighouse, West...

Olympian eyes gold with help of Acuvue.(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Olympic swimming hopeful Rebecca Cooke will see the finishing line a little clearer thanks to multiple retailer Boots Opticians and contact lens company Johnson & Johnson. Cooke, a student at Glasgow University, visited the Boots practice...

Skills of support staff recognised with NVQ.(National Vocational Qualification )(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Level 2 NVQ and SVQ qualifications in Optical Retailing have been approved by the qualifications and curriculum authority (QCA) and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). It is the first NVQ/SVQ qualification, based on the...

DO censured after breach of Data Act.(dispensing optician )(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... A dispensing optician was suspended from the Register for six months and fined this week after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct. At Tuesday's hearing of the GOC's disciplinary committee Surrey-based Michael McAteer was...

AMD linked to mortality rate.(age-related macular degeneration )(Brief Article)
June 18, 2004... Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and nuclear cataract have been shown to have an increased mortality rate. The latest report to come out of the Age Related Eye Disease Study (published in Archives of Ophthalmology,...

London optical show on the cards for 2006.
June 18, 2004... optician has learnt that the organisers of Optrafair are planning to stage a London-based optical show once more. The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, currently working on next year's exhibition at the NEC, has started preliminary...